


Earthly Tethers

by StardustMuse



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Not completely canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:15:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 20,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26904979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StardustMuse/pseuds/StardustMuse
Summary: Earth is an unassuming planet way out in the unknown regions. But then, it, and its people are discovered by the Jedi.
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So Star Wars is very much a thing, as Quian finds out.

The ship landed with a bump, and a bit of a skid on the wet ground, but it was a mostly even landing. The pilot had learned from the previous time. He made sure the cloaking tech was in place, the ship logs were erased, and grabbed his things, leaving no trace of his presence. He headed out, locking the hatch behind him. He took a breath, listening to the night. A gray sky showed dawn wasn't far off, which meant he had a friend to visit. Taking care not to leave tracks, he left.

"Jacob, how are you?" The pilot walked into the small monitoring station, about a mile from the woods where he had landed. Currently, there was only one person manning the tech, and he stretched in his chair, lounging lazily.

"Quian, this is a surprise. How are you? And why are you here? I thought after last time, you were scared off." Quian grimaced. The last visit, though accidental, had been equally informative, and irritating.

"I'm fine. I'm here for more exploring. I need you help, so that I'm not discovered here."

"In other words, you need me to hide your ship, and a local change of clothes would be nice."

"The ship's already cloaked. But you have the power to keep people away from the area." Quian corrected. Jacob grinned.

"Excellent! I assume that I'll get to see more of your fascinating tech in action then?" Quian rolled his eyes, but couldn't help the smirk that came across his face. Jacob also smirked, then stood, and gestured for Quian to follow him.

"Come on. Let's get things done before it's fully light out." Quian changed quickly, then led Jacob to the ship. Jacob raised an eyebrow at the skid marks, then sighed.

"Tidier than last time, I'll give you that. What do you have?"

"Holographics that can be placed over the area."

"Considering the wet ground, and all the rain...plus landing in a gully, I can say this area is in danger of mudslides. No one will come near. Your holograms can be programmed to show mud, right?"

"Of course."

"Cool. Let's get started." The two men set the emitters around the clearing, after Quian had programmed them. Once they were placed, Quian tapped a few keys on a data pad. With a slight shimmer, the clearing disappeared under a layer of heavy mud. Jacob let out a low whistle.

"That's impressive. Hungry?"

"If you're offering, I won't say no."

"Well, the only thing I can offer is food from the lounge. Still, Sonya brought in all sorts of snacks the other day, so it's not as bad as it could be." Quian snorted. The gleam in Jacob's eyes told him that breakfast would be more than fine. Sure enough, they laid out pastries, baked eggs, and coffee. Quian sighed happily with his second cup in hand. Of all the foods he had discovered here, coffee was among the best.

"How long are you on shift?" he asked. Jacob devoured another pastry before answering.

"'Till next week. Sonya and Devin should be getting up in another hour or so. How long are you going to be here?"

"I don't know. I have no set time limit."

"Huh. Is that normal?"

"Depends on the mission." Jacob nodded, not too surprised at the brief answer.

"Well, after this shift is done, I have a week's break. But if you need things, call me. I still have that comm." Jacob said, pulling out a small comm Quian had left the last time.

"Thanks. I will." Quian promised. They cleaned up, doing dishes right away.

"You know, while you're here, you should think about seeing movies. It'll be a good cultural thing, if you're interested. I think it's sort of like your holograms. People move across screens though, for us."

"Any suggestions?"

"Oh, sure. Star Wars, absolutely huge, everyone loves it. There's a decent amount of tv shows too."

"Star Wars? I'd assume battles in space." Quian said, trying not to laugh at the name.

"Yeah. Plus Jedi, who have powers, and laser swords, and it's very, very cool. I think even you'd like it." Quian froze. This planet, called Earth by the locals, was completely cut off from the wider galaxy. How, in the name of the Force, had this planet learned about the Jedi?

"Who came up with all of this?" he asked, trying to stay casual. Jacob paused.

"Huh. Not something most people think about...guy named George Lucas. Came up with the story, and even though he doesn't own the franchise anymore, he still gets input on everything that's made."

"I might have to look into it." Quian admitted. Jacob grinned, and saw him off with a sassy salute.

Quian fell into his thoughts, still puzzled. Earth hadn't intentionally been cut off. It was in the Unknown Regions, and someone had to be either foolhardy, or brave, to explore them. He was hardly the first one to explore, yet, he had never heard of this planet before his accidental trip a few years back. Then again, considering the lack of information about previous years...Quian sighed, and stopped at a library. The peaceful quiet soothed him, and he started his search. A few hours later, settled in a chair with a stack of books besides him, he sighed. Of course. Now, it made sense. Shortly after the Empire had scattered, someone else had been to this planet, and had told this George Lucas about their adventures. The man had then made movies. Why, Quian figured he'd never know. The other explorer was dead by now, and he certainly wasn't going to get access to the moviemaker. At this point, all he could do was simply to explore.

Heading outside, he stretched, and continued along the street. Some sort of festival preparations seemed to be underway. A few decorations were on the store windows, people in a cheerful mood. Quian caught the words 'Star Wars' many more times, before he caught sight of a sign. Growing all the more curious- Jacob had said it was popular, but this popular?- Quian stepped inside. A young woman at the reception desk smiled brightly.

"Hello. Are you looking for a room, or are you here for the event?"

"Event. I'd like to know more though."

"Oh, of course. It's geared more towards kids and teenagers, but adults are also welcome. It's scheduled to last for a week, with all sorts of activities. We even have volunteers coming in, who have experience working on the films." Quian heard rapid footsteps, and saw a young man come around the corner.

"Hey Sarah! Got any more word on that other volunteer?"

"I did, but they're sick. They can't make it." The man groaned.

"Crap. Honestly, with the numbers we're getting, we need someone else."

"Is there anyone else you know of who knows about the films enough to volunteer?"

"Most of my contacts are busy. With ComicCon, and other events, and the short notice..." Quian felts an internal nudge, and chuckled quietly. Of all the times for the Force to nudge him in a direction...

"Excuse me, but I happen to know quite a bit. I'd be willing to help out." Quian offered. The man turned eagerly.

"Seriously? Ok, quick test. Full plans of the Sith?"

"In which era? In general, they sought power, but the exact goals depend on the era." The man grinned.

"Quick summary of the Old Republic, the Republic, and Empire."

"Old Republic had many groups that actually had rule of a section of the galaxy. They sought to tear down the Old Republic. During the Republic Era, the Sith were hidden, seeking to take over from within. They succeeded, leading to the age of the Empire. Palpatine and Vader sought to rule as long as they could." Quian reeled off. That, hadn't been that hard. How much did people actually know?

"Ok, you're good. Sarah, he'll do just fine."

"Oh, good! So I can get you set up with your rooms, everyone's staying here. The volunteers are all sharing costs, so if you have a hundred dollars, that'll cover you. I'll let Tomas take over." Quian hurriedly pulled some of the money he had saved from last time, and put it down. Tomas felt very, very eager, and also very impatient. After signing a version of his name that would be more acceptable, and getting his room key, Quian was pulled into a large room on the next floor.

"Guys! We got a replacement, and his knowledge is seriously good!" Tomas called happily to the others in the room. Two women, and two more men straightened from heavy looking boxes. The general emotions coming off of them were overwhelming, same with everyone else on this planet. Emotions seemed to be felt especially strongly by people.

"That's great news!" one of the women cheered.

"You're pretty brave, being willing to spend your time with so many kids. Especially this week. Star Wars Day gets absolutely nuts!" a man added. Quian fought back some incredulity. They had made an entire day out of this?

"And you will have to demonstrate your knowledge of the films, the cartoon series, possibly some books." the other woman finished.

"I might need a bit of a reminder on a few things." Quian said, a little hesitantly. He wanted to see just how much matched up.

"Oh sure, we can review. If you actually want to rewatch things, there's plenty of clips on YouTube. Or other places online." Tomas reassured him.

"I will. What else do we need to get set up?"

As it turned out, there was a lot to do. The boxes needed to be unpacked, the contents sorted. More boxes needed to be pulled in, and be sorted. Tables needed to be set up, chairs to be organized. A stage set to one side, complete with cameras, lights, and a few props. Apparently, some of the event would teach the kids how to act like they were in a movie. It would be interesting to see how that worked. Some boxes held parts for making lightsaber hilts or blaster models or droid models. Quian was actually impressed when he helped the others put a few models together. They weren't entirely unrealistic, and there were parts that could be customizable. It was early evening by the time they finished setting up, and they happily locked the door, and headed to dinner.

Over the meal, they reviewed each other's knowledge. Some, was actually very accurate. Some, horribly off. Quian had to hide a smile at some of the more inaccurate stories. After dinner, they retired to their rooms, and Quian managed to find some clips from the movies and cartoons. They were interesting, again a mix of accuracy and not. Finally, Quian went to sleep, thinking about how crazy the next week was going to be.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quian learns more, a lot more.

"Alright, settle down!" The large crowd of kids, teenagers, and some adults slowly quieted down.

"Welcome to the Star Wars event, where you will learn how to build your own lightsabers, blasters, droids, and how some of the special effects for the films were created, along with making a small film of your own." Richard called.

"My name is Tomas, and this is Richard, Quinn, Rachel, Drew, and Janine. We'll be helping you build your blasters, droids, and lightsabers, not to mention discussing trivia. And, we'll help out with the film too. But let's start things off with getting to know you guys. Why do you like Star Wars? If it's for the battles, head to that corner. If its for the Jedi, and what they do, over there. For characters, that corner. Anything else, last corner. We'll give you a few minutes to think." 

The crowd split into smaller groups, with a few hesitating before choosing. The corner for battles had the most amount. Quian sighed. Typical. People who didn't understand the horror and costs of battles often idolized them. A fair amount of people went into the corners for the characters and Jedi. Only six went into the corner for different reasons. Quian eyed that group with interest. They might have a deeper reason for liking Star Wars. It would be interesting to listen to. 

"Let's start with the battles corner. What do you like about them?" Janine asked.

"They're cool!" a boy shouted. Janine smiled. 

"Besides that. What's cool about them?"

"The lightsaber battles are the coolest. Light going everywhere, swords, fast paced...definitely the most entertaining." one of the teens said.

"The blaster duels are cool too."

"Oh and the space battles with the starships!"

"No, blasters versus lightsabers!"

"The good guys win!" 

"People fighting in a cool style." Before they could go on, another voice, quieter than the rest, spoke up. 

"Fighting isn't everything. People can, and do die quite frequently during the fight scenes. Life is not all about battles." Everyone looked around, but no one could locate the speaker, not even Quian. The boy who had spoken about fighting rolled his eyes.

"What do you know about Star Wars if you don't like the battles? It's in the name!"

"They may look cool. But I wouldn't want to fight, unless I had too. And it may be in the name, but the fighting is often seen as a tragedy. How many times have audiences felt horrible when a character has died?" Quian raised an eyebrow. Now, this was interesting. The boy looked around for the speaker, but couldn't find them. He snorted.

"Pacifist." he sneered. There was no reply. In the quiet, Rachel spoke up.

"I think we've heard why the battles are cool. Next group, the characters. Why do you like the characters?" 

"The interactions between the characters are always interesting, and they pull you in, you can relate to all of them."

"And you get to know about more than just the Jedi. You learn about politicians, smugglers, everyday people. There's so many different people, just like real life."

"Nice. Anyone else?" Rachel asked. No one else spoke up, and she smiled.

"Ok. Next group. Why do you like the Jedi?" 

"They try to save everyone."

"They always win!" a younger boy said happily.

"No, not always. But it is hard to defeat them." an older boy corrected. The younger boy thought for a moment, and shrugged. 

"Yeah, I guess."

"Their powers!" 

"Yeah, the Jedi are super powerful! They're all like-" the boy broke off into miming some of the action he had seen, with sound effects. Everyone laughed, and he grinned.

"But the Jedi aren't supposed to look for power. It's not part of their code." Everyone looked around for that quiet voice again, and Quian's eyes snapped to the last group. He was sure this time that the voice came from there. But all of the people in that group had fairly neutral expressions. Still...Quian knew he'd have to double check a few things. It was true that Jedi didn't seek power, and that ideal was in their code. But that wasn't very common knowledge either...

"Your favorite part of Star Wars was not the battles, the characters, or the Jedi. What is it then, that you like?" Richard asked.

"The world building is amazing! There are so many different planets, and you get a tase of the culture on each one."

"There's the history of the galaxy, and the history of the Jedi and other organizations. It's absolutely fascinating."

"What the Jedi live by, their code. Also, how they interact with each other, and other people."

"Don't forget the diversity in species, and the technology available." Quian had not heard the quiet voice again, but for now, it didn't matter. They had a week, and he'd probably hear it again.

"Anyone else with something?" Drew asked. A few people looked at each other, but no one spoke up.

"Right! This was a great way to kick things off. Now I know you're all probably eager to get right into things, so let's start off with building droids. We have parts ready, for a few different models, so if you'll all just head into the next room, we can get started." 

The volunteers led the groups through making the droids, and helped customize a few. Quian hid a smile at the shrieks of delight and laughter as slowly, people finished and started activating the remote controls. That, led to a bit of an impromptu battle with a few droids, and races with others. 

Afterwards, was a quick trivia break, and lunch. Some people knew a crazy amount of facts, impressing even the volunteers. After lunch, everyone was led through creating blaster models. As before, the volunteers walked among the tables, helping here or there, commenting on a choice or design. Quian raised an eyebrow at some of the customized blasters. A switch controlled the difference between a stun bolt, and actual fire. Advanced targeting systems. Different handgrips and styles, for different purposes. He wondered if some of these things would actually work. The different styles of blasters and handgrips were already present, but the advanced targeting system, built into the shooting mechanism itself? And the switch between stun bolts and fire, all at the touch of a button, so that different cartridges weren't needed? He didn't have the technical knowledge himself to figure out such advanced ideas, but perhaps a friend of his... Finally, by evening, they had wrapped things up for the day.

"Don't worry! If you didn't finish, there'll be time tomorrow to work on you droids and blasters." Rachel called out over the noise. 

"Particularly if you need to make repairs." Drew added dryly. Laughter ran through the crowd, before everyone headed to dinner. Some kids came up to the volunteers to ask questions, but for the most part it was a quiet evening. The next morning, the volunteers allowed an hour to finish blasters and droids. The rest of the day, would be dedicated to lightsabers. 

"Ok everyone! Time for the part I know you've all been waiting for. We're going to build lightsabers!" Richard called. Over the general cheers, the volunteers could hear a few louder voices.

"Sweet!"

"Ooh, what color will ours be?"

"Can we fight with them?" 

"Your color, and design, is up to you. We have parts for everyone, but they are customizable if anyone has their own designs, just like the blasters. And yes, you'll be fighting with lightsabers. Or at least, ones we have for you. Wouldn't want to damage your own." Tomas said with a laugh.

"Let's get started! Line forms here." Janine ordered. As expected, there was a bit of a mad rush to get in line. Most people picked parts that they thought looked cool, choosing rapidly. A few people hesitated, searching for the parts they wanted the most. Very few people opted for the more customizable parts. Finally, when everyone had their parts, the volunteers started wandering around the tables. Quian had to admit, the base models weren't bad. And a lot of people were making those, or slight variations. But scattered here and there, were a few people with original designs. He leaned curiously over the shoulder of a teen, studying the drawing. He was impressed by the quality of the drawing itself, and then by the notations. There had been serious thought put into this. 

"Did you design this?" Quian asked softly, so he wouldn't startle the boy. The boy looked up, and grinned. 

"Sort of. I have a friend who's really good at drawing, and she knows pretty much everything Star Wars. But she really likes designing lightsabers. She takes into account everything, like what color your lightsaber will be based on your personality, and your combat form. Plus, she asks about what you like, and then just...puts it all together. A few times, friends have challenged her to do a design without any input, and she's spot on, every time." 

"So, tell me more about your lightsaber."

"Well, she took my measurements to actually have a real life size, and I told her that I really liked the sleek look of Palpatine's lightsaber, but also the emitter on Obi-Wan's, and the simplicity of Anakin's. So she came up with this design, different wood inlays with a very simple silhouette. And she figured I'd be better suited to a more powerful style of combat, so, Shien." The boy frowned slightly, checking the notes. "Or Djem So. I can't keep the variations straight. In general, Form Five." Quian blinked. Those were the names for Form Five. And Form Five was a more powerful form. 'Peace, through superior firepower'. Just how much had been revealed?

"And the color?" The boy grinned, a bit sheepishly.

"I stand for what I believe in. And I'll fight for it. But I'm still respectful of others. So, blue. It stands for the more warrior focused people, the ones who stand for justice and protection." Again, accurate. Interesting. 

"Do you see your friend?" The boy looked around, then shook his head. 

"No, I don't. You'll have to walk around, I guess. She has a master sheet of all her designs, but there's a few others with her designs too." 

"Thanks." 

"Sure thing!" The boy went back to work on the inlay, and Quian set off. 

He spotted more of the drawings, and stopped each time to talk with the people. All of them, admitted that their friend was really good, and took everything into consideration. He saw a paired set, a saberstaff with a shortened hilt, a few standard hilts. A mix of metals and woods, not to mention different colors. Green, blue, yellow. Each lightsaber was distinct, and made complete sense when the person explained the thought process behind the design. It was absolutely amazing. The break for lunch came, and Quian found a quiet corner.

Meditating, was something he could do without attracting any notice. It would simply look like he was resting. The usual strong emotions, excitement and frustration most evident. Curiosity, and...greed? Quian frowned slightly, and tried to follow that particular emotion. It was more subtle, but the want of...something, was very clear. But the feeling faded, leaving Quian frustrated. Still, he'd want to watch his step, just to be safe. 

The rest of the afternoon, he simply walked among the tables, helping out some kids, talking with others about their hilts. Many people were finishing up, but some with more complicated designs were still going. But everyone managed to finish by dinner. The volunteers took over one table, chatting happily about the day.

"Honestly some of the kids were really impressive." Drew said with a laugh. 

"In what way? They got done super fast, or the designs?" Janine asked. 

"Both. Some of the group knew exactly what they wanted." Quian observed. 

"Ok, but did you see some of those designs? They were incredible! So detailed, and realistic!" Tomas said, with a grin. 

"Some of the people are very, very talented." Richard mused. 

"Well it'll be interesting to see how they do with the film stuff. Tomorrow's going to fun." Rachel grinned. They laughed. 

"Better have a first aid kit handy." Drew teased. 

Sure enough, the following dance, a few kids were sitting sulkily as the volunteers patched them up. 

"You know, you're not supposed to be hitting that hard. And you're supposed to duck." Janine told one girl, trying not to laugh. The girl pouted. 

"Sorry." 

"Well, remember for next time." Quian, keeping his eye on those who hadn't gotten overeager, noted some people were picking up the movements better. For the film, those would be the ones who would be allowed to continue using the lightsabers. The others, would be using blasters. Over the rest of the day, everyone continued to work hard. 

The next day, they started filming. Tomas had experience with filming, so he directed. How to anticipate blaster shots, how to block, ducking, how to put together a sequence of moves. Not everyone was needed all the time, so groups of people had downtime. Quian, after keeping an eye on people for a sequence, got relieved by Rachel. He sat gratefully. A chance to rest was nice. Not even the youngest Padawans were usually quite this energetic. He cast an eye over the resting people. A girl sat in a corner, curled up almost protectively. Yet she seemed quite calm. Seeing everyone else busy, Quian stood, and made his way over to her.

"You're alright?" 

"Yes. Just getting ideas down." she said, a little absently. Quian's eyes widened as he saw the notebook she was working on. Above the notes she was making, was drawn a partially sketched out lightsaber. Above that, was a fully drawn one, one he had seen before. At the same time, he felt a nudge from the Force, and the girl's eyes widen. She snapped the book closed. 

"I didn't mean..."

"It's fine. I'm up soon anyway. But...if you're on break, watch my things? I'll let you look through the book." 

"I won't let anyone else see."

"Thanks." she ran off to join up with a few others, and Quian paused. Her voice had been the one that had spoken on the first day, about not liking the battles, and that Jedi did not seek power. He was sure, that she was also the one to design lightsabers for others. Glancing around, he scanned through the book. So many more designs, though these weren't with notes. Just drawings, and a name written in Galactic Basic. Interesting. From what he had seen, this planet typically used other languages. But this was undoubtedly the master notebook. Not to mention, all the designs seemed accurate. He put the book away, mind spinning. A talent for design, seeming to have vast knowledge of the Jedi, and a nudge from the Force. Who was she? He stayed by her things until she came back.

"Thanks. You're Quinn, right?" 

"Yes. Your name?" 

"Kiara." 

"You're doing well."

"Thank you. Others are too. How much longer are we going to be filming?" 

"One more day, according to Tomas. Then he'll put everything together for you to see it on the last day." 

"That should be a lot of fun to see. See you." Kiara gathered her things and waved. Quian let out a breath. She'd certainly be one to watch.


	3. Chapter 3

The last day, everyone gathered eagerly around the screen that had been set up in the main room. 

"Everyone ready to see the results of your work?" Tomas called with a grin. Cheers rose. With an even wider grin, Tomas started the film up. Quian watched, impressed by the work Tomas had done in a short time. The editing had made the various sequences shot over the past few days cohesive. Not as good as the clips from the movies, but still very good. The group, didn't really care. They were having far too much fun watching themselves on screen. 

Kiara blushed as a couple of her friends' whispered compliments. She couldn't explain it, that the movements had just felt so right. Especially if Quinn had offered a couple suggestions. She snuck a glance at him in the darkened room. That right feeling, knowing he could be trusted with her drawings, all of it odd. And there was something about him. She wanted to ask him a few questions after things wrapped up. 

"Ok everyone, well done! We'll be posting the video online, so you can watch it whenever you want! And with that, the Star Wars event is done." Drew called.A few groans filled the air.

"I know, I know. But we'll see what we can do about getting something similar together next year. Keep an eye out for it." Rachel promised. 

"Make sure you have all your things, and may the Force be with you!" Janine called. Kiara smiled at her friends.

"I'll meet you later, ok?"

"Sure." Kiara waited patiently as the room cleared, then checked around. Quinn had gone. She frowned, then hesitated. Where would he have gone? With the other volunteers? Or with the mass exit? She checked briefly outside the room, but didn't see him. Maybe one of the other rooms then? Walking toward the room where she had built her droid, blaster, and lightsaber, she frowned again when she realized all the lights were off. That was strange. She reached for the light switch, and felt a hand close around her wrist. Before she could make a sound, the lights switched on. Richard faced her, a frown on his face.

"What are you doing here? Lost something?"

"N...no. I was looking for someone." Richard studied her, and Kiara felt a deep sense of foreboding, of dread, cold, and danger. And it came from the man still holding onto her with a tightening grip. The same sense, that she had felt throughout the event, leaving her unsure of who to trust unless she got close to a person. 

"I think you found someone. Let's go." 

"Where?" 

"You need to be trained girl. Power like yours, on a slag heap of a planet such as this...unbelievable."

"What? I don't know what's going on, I'm just a girl, I have no powers!" Kiara cried. Richard whirled on her, and she swallowed when she saw his eyes. Burning yellow, ringed with red. Instinct told her one thing, while her head cried impossible. But the sense of danger, was real. Suddenly, behind her, she heard a slight hum.

"Let. Her. Go." a voice snarled. Quinn's voice. Richard froze, then sneered.

"Should have figured she would draw you too. But you're too blind Jedi. I've known since day one that she had power. I have her, and you're too late." The slight hum grew louder, and Kiara hurriedly ducked. Richard cursed, and made a shoving motion with his free hand. A surge, and stumbling footsteps. Richard yanked on her arm, but she grit her teeth, and lunged under a table. Richard, not expecting the move, and being larger than her, crashed headlong into the table. He was forced to let go, cursing. Kiara scrambled away, pausing at the sight of feet in front of her. She looked up cautiously to see Quinn. His face grim, hand holding...an actual lightsaber, the blue blade humming quietly. 

"Get behind me." Kiara, following her instincts, did so. She saw Richard, standing before them, a red lightsaber out and ready. He struck, and Quinn blocked. They disengaged, then reengaged, too fast for Kiara to follow. She just heard the clash of blades. Then, Richard was flying back, and tables got piled on top of him. 

"Do you trust me Kiara?" Quinn asked, gaze intense. Kiara nodded. Quinn tossed her something. A device of some sort. 

"Grab everything you have. Head to the woods, and the monitoring station. Ask for Jacob. Tell him Quian sent you. That I said you needed to get to the ship. He'll know what to do." Richard burst from the tables, and roared in anger. 

"Run." Quinn hissed, before rushing to clash with Richard again. Kiara didn't need to be told twice. She already had all of her belongings in her back pack and messenger bag, both roughly slung on her shoulders. She paused only to secure them, then took off to the woods. She knew where the monitoring station was. Fifteen minutes later, out of breath, she entered the monitoring station. Two men, and a women sat inside. 

"Are you alright? Did you get hurt?" Kiara shook her head, pausing to get enough air to speak.

"Jacob. Need to...to speak with him, please." The taller man frowned, and stood.

"I'm Jacob. What do you need?" Kiara hesitated briefly, but felt that warm feeling she felt whenever she knew she could trust someone. 

"Qui...Quian. He sent me. Said something about...about a ship." Jacob cursed softly. 

"Of all the...alright, I'll get you there. Sonya, Devin, a friend of mine needs help." 

"Sure thing. See you in a bit." Jacob motioned for Kiara to follow him. 

"I know he locks his ship. I don't know how to get in though. But I can at least take you to the location. Is Quian alright?" he said quietly as they walked outside.

"I...I hope so. He gave me this." Kiara offered Jacob the device. His eyes lit up. 

"Well, I can unlock this, at least. But I don't know what's on it." Jacob tapped a few keys, then groaned. "Of course it's in another language." Peering over his arm, Kiara's eyes widened. 

"I know that language. I can read it." 

"Go ahead then. We're not far." Kiara read, translating in her mind. Instructions, written recently. How to unlock the ship, how to set up security, and a suggestion for places to hide. Quinn...had he known this would happen? 

"We're here. The ship's hidden under holograms, and Quian said something about cloaking the ship. At least to get past the holograms, all you need to do is walk through. Getting into the ship, I hope there were instructions." Jacob said, waving at the mud filled gully in front of them. 

"There are. I...I think they're just meant for me."

"Fine. If Quian got into trouble, I need to get back to the monitoring station. If he comes straight here, tell him to contact me, alright?" 

"How do you know about him?" A fond, and exasperated smile crossed Jacob's face. 

"Ran into him a few years ago, and helped out. Don't tell him, but I like him." Despite the situation, Kiara smiled. They almost sounded like brothers.

"Thank you, for everything." 

"Sure thing. See you." Jacob headed back, after an encouraging wave. 

Kiara faced the mud filled gully, and took a breath. Carefully, she walked forward. Tensed for fast flowing mud, she felt nothing as she moved forward. She glanced over the instructions again, and found the keys to unlock the ship. A portion of the seemingly empty clearing moved, as a ramp descended. She gasped. This...this was honestly like so many stories and movies she loved. Cautiously, she headed up the ramp, closing it behind her. Following the instructions, she found the cockpit. Several minutes later, she had activated the ship's security, and was kneeling next to a vent on the floor. It didn't take much to pull the grate off. Below, was a space that would be just big enough for her to crawl through. That was a good hiding place. She climbed in, replaced the grate, and took a deep breath. She didn't understand all of this.

She knew, instinctually, that Quinn was someone she could trust. He had helped her, defended her. Richard, was a danger to her. She thought about his eyes. Burning yellow, ringed with red. Sith eyes. And...a red lightsaber. A real lightsaber. She had felt the energy in the air, knowing that no mock lightsaber on Earth could truly replicate that. Theories had been made, but as far as she knew, no one had built one. Quinn's lightsaber, instead of burning the air, had felt more like it was being energized from the air. More peaceful. And their battle, the surges she had felt. Taking all those facts together, it seemed that Star Wars was very real, and that she had met both a Jedi, and a Sith. But what did they want with her? Richard had said something about power, that he had sensed her power right away. Quinn...she didn't know. And the feelings, impressions she had throughout her life were natural to her. Was it really a power? Since Star Wars was real, was she...Force sensitive? 

Footsteps sounded above, and she froze. They drew nearer, and Kiara relaxed when she sensed that it was someone she could trust. That peaceful feeling, that felt familiar by now. Quinn. 

"Kiara? Are you here?" Kiara moved back to the grate, and lifted it. Quinn, crouched close by, smiled. 

"I'm going to get you out of here for now. We have a lot to discuss." Kiara nodded, and climbed out, following him to the cockpit. He pressed buttons, flipped switches, and pulled a few levers. Within moments, they were rising, and Kiara's eyes widened as they shot out of the atmosphere, and into space. A final pulled lever, and they were surrounded by shifting blue, and white. Hyperspace. 

Quian shot a look at Kiara. She seemed to be doing well, all things considered. Currently, he saw awe on her face as she took in the view of hyperspace. He made sure they were on course, then turned to her. 

"How are you doing?" Kiara took a deep breath. Her hands trembled slightly. 

"I..."

"Sit, please." Kiara collapsed into a chair. "Where would you like to start?"

"I know, now, that Star Wars is real. You're a Jedi, or at least, a Force wielder. Richard, is a Sith, or a dark side user. I...I'd like confirmation on a theory. Richard mentioned I had power. Am..am I Force sensitive?"

"Yes, you are." Quian said simply. Kiara took a deep breath. 

"How do you know?"

"Force sensitives, are often identified by an ability that they're very good at. Some, have excellent reflexes. Some can sense danger. Some, can sense intention." Quian narrowed his eyes briefly. "I suspect, you're able to sense who to trust, and who you can't. I don't see why you would have trusted me so easily otherwise."

"I honestly thought of it as an instinct. From what I know of my family, they had some sort of extra sense. My aunt, seemed to know details about places she had never been before. My mother, superb organizational skills. My grandmother, skill with crafts. When I was little, we'd just joke about it. I never..." Kiara admitted. 

"It sounds like your entire family may have been Force sensitive. But, I don't know. What else do you want to know?"

"What happened with Richard?"

"I managed to get away, but he was hindered. He didn't want to reveal to the public that there are Jedi and Sith any more than I do. I lost him in the crowds. But, since he wasn't severely injured, I expect he'll be trying to track us down soon."

"Us?"

"He does have a fixation on you. Now that we're not on planet anymore, your presence in the Force is so clear. He managed to sense that before I did. But since I interfered, he's going to try to get rid of me."

"Will I always be in danger?"

"I don't know. I don't know why he was on the planet in the first place. But, I don't want to force you into anything. If you want to go back, I will take you. There's a couple of techniques I know to muffle your presence in the Force."

"And other options?" 

"If you are willing, I could take you to the Council, see if they'd accept you for training. Master Luke is pretty accommodating with everything." Kiara's eyes widened.

"Luke Skywalker?" Quian chuckled, and nodded. 

"Yes. The new Jedi order has only been in place for a few years. At least, under the New Republic. Luke took on students when the Civil War against the Empire was still going on." 

"My family died years ago. I've been in the local orphanage for a while. I have friends, but...I think I'd like to meet the Jedi. But, I know I can't just disappear. You'd have to adopt me, or be a foster parent of some sort. You'd probably have to say we were moving away. I don't know how long that will take." Quian sat back with a thoughtful sigh. He was honestly impressed that Kiara had already thought so far ahead. 

"Well, I don't mind going through proper procedure. I already talked with Jacob about a few things...he might have a few suggestions too. There might be a few work arounds to make the process faster. In the meantime, I can teach you a few basic Force techniques."

"Thank you." Quian gave her a smile. 

"My pleasure." With that, he turned to make a few adjustments, and headed back to Earth.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiara's training has unofficially began. Quian's a bit frustrated with Earth customs. And where, oh where, did Richard go?

The next months passed in a mix of busyness, excitement, and periods of slow times. Getting established in town, had been fairly simple. Quian had used his holograms again, and landing the ship in a different spot, to make it look like he lived in a small cabin. Kiara, still stayed at the orphanage, and attended school. Quian visited often, which established his wish to adopt Kiara, but also to keep her company. She had school friends, and a few friends at the orphanage, but not many her own age. She was older than most at the orphanage. Quian could see, sometimes, how frustrated Kiara got when no one seemed to understand her. Simply, no one was as mature as she was. Yet, she still cared deeply for people. She cared for the younger kids, playing with them, helping them with schoolwork, or telling them stories. She helped kids her own age, if they had issues with schoolwork, and discussing the events occurring locally and nationally. Quian learned quite a bit about Earth when he listened in on those discussions.

After school, she often came to his ship. He taught her how to organize her mind, which wasn't that hard. Kiara already had an incredible memory, and could pull facts out of seemingly nowhere. Meditation took longer. It wasn't that she hated sitting still. Instead, she needed something to focus on. Music, had been the key for that lesson, but in time, Quian taught her how to focus on the Force. With that, he was able to teach her to know her presence in the Force, to mute it, and also the beginnings of sensing others with the Force, building on her instinctual abilities. Yet those lessons made things difficult for her at school.

Kiara was already known for being smart, and for understanding things quickly. Now, she was even more bored, and she could hardly work on other things in class. Her teachers never knew what to do with an intelligent kid, instead, some gave her more work, while others did nothing. Quian sighed when he heard about that. Mass education, while not horrible in some situations, did not fit for all kids. Even before Kiara started working with him, the mass education style didn't suit her.

He did his best to make up for it with giving her basic tactical situations to work through, starship diagrams to study, and research. He wanted to know exactly how Star Wars differed from actual events. Kiara was able to tell him many things off the top of her head, most of which were fairly accurate. They spent hours discussing the similarities and differences. Sometimes, they got on tangents because of various questions, but neither minded. He also started with her physical conditioning. Kiara wasn't out of shape, she was quite active compared to others her age on her planet. But Jedi conditioning, was something else. The woods, turned out to be an excellent training ground. The uneven ground, trees, undergrowth, and various animals made it tricky to navigate simply walking. Harder yet, was going through at full speed, or even going through the trees. Basic self defense was also among the lessons. Quian had been quite irritated when he found out self defense wasn't encouraged more strongly. With the violence so prevalent in regular communities, and near constant wars going on in different parts of the world, he had though self defense would be key. Instead, very few people practiced it, and as near as he could tell, that led to more civilian casualties. Kiara had been very happy to learn to defend herself. Even better, she taught several of her friends how to defend themselves as well.

"Quian?" Kiara asked after school one day. Bundled into a coat, she stood outside of the ship with him, watching the tiny snowflakes fall. Apparently, the snow wouldn't stick for long just yet, but winter was coming.

"What is it?"

"How is everything coming, with the legal system?"

"Getting there. The legal system is very intricate. Give it another few months, and I think everything might be finished." Quian glanced at her. "But you're worried. Is it school again?" Kiara sighed.

"I know you've taught me a lot, and I trust your teachings. But we've been here for months. I would have thought that Richard would have tracked us down."

"I have tried to keep an eye on him, but unfortunately, you're not the only one who can mask your presence. However, I think the last thing he would have expected, is for us to return here. He would have expected, I think, for me to take you directly to the Jedi Council."

"Was it a thought?" Kiara asked quietly. Quian sighed.

"I can't deny that. But I didn't want to...how should I put this...scare you off. I wasn't sure, initially, if you would really trust me. Or believe me, for that matter."

"I think some of the events sort of forced me to believe. Glowing yellow eyes, actual lightsabers, technology much too advanced for Earth..." Kiara teased. Quian smiled.

"I suppose that would do it. But back to the matter of Richard, I am keeping an eye out to the best of my abilities. If you don't mind, I'd like you to keep an eye out as well." "Of course. This involves me as much as it involves you."

"Good. And thank you. Now, is there anything in particular you'd like to do for today?" Kiara considered, putting out a hand to catch a snowflake. A gentle smile crossed her face.

"Could we discuss lore, while walking today? I love the snow."

"Of course. Let's see...Have I told you about the early origins of lightsabers?" Kiara's eyes lit up, and she grinned.

"There's stories about those."

"Oh? Then let's compare notes." They set off into the woods, happily discussing history.

Quian stepped into the orphanage as a swirl of snow entered with him. Winter had come in earnest, not just the light snow of a month previously.

"Oh, hello Mr. Diego. Kiara is still in school, if you were looking to visit." the orphan head said, glancing up. Quian nodded.

"I know. But I've finished all the paperwork required to adopt Kiara."

"Oh that's wonderful! It can be so hard for the older children to get adopted, so thank you! I'm glad she has family at last!"

"I just wanted to come and get anything I needed to get done finished, so I can surprise her when she's finished with school. We will be moving, but I've heard the semester is almost finished. We'll wait until then."

"Sounds great. There are a few forms yet, so I'll take you through those." It didn't take too long for Quian to get through the forms, though they were tedious. He had really come to dislike forms over the past several months. Politics in the New Republic weren't as bad as the legal systems on this planet! Quian paused on that thought. Alright, maybe they were. But he didn't usually get missions for the Senate, so he didn't have to worry about that. When Kiara came in to drop off her bag, she smiled at seeing him.

"I wasn't expecting to see you here." Quian smiled, and held up the sheaf of completed paperwork.

"Everything's finished." Kiara smiled more brightly.

"Thank you!" They stepped off to the side so they could continue speaking in private. "How soon?"

"As soon as your semester is done. Explain that we'll be moving away, and say goodbye to friends." Kiara nodded.

"Is there anyway to stay in contact with them? They'd still expect me to call." Quian thought briefly, then nodded.

"I think I can arrange that." Kiara gave him another smile, then headed upstairs. Two weeks passed quickly, in which Quian figured out how to modify the sensitivity of a spare comm he had, so that they'd pick up local signals. It worked when they tested it, which made Kiara happy. She'd miss her friends. Her grades for the semester came back after tests, resulting in her being top of the class. Final goodbyes, and Kiara walked with Quian to the ship, her minimal belongings packed into her two bags. Snow fell heavily, but peacefully. They got settled on the ship, Quian took off, and once again, Kiara saw the blue of hyperspace. Quian reached forward to the ship comms, and a hologram activated. A man, older than Quian but still looking ready for anything, smiled.

"Hello Quian. Did you enjoy exploring the Unknown Regions? Did you visit that planet you discovered last time?"

"Master Luke, you know I love learning more. I did visit Earth again, and came across many, many things. I'll give you the full report later, but I encountered a Sith, who was after a Force sensitive girl. Kiara agreed to come with me, when she learned she was Force sensitive. I have managed to obtain legal guardianship over her, in custom with Earth's laws. We do not know what happened to the Sith, but I have reason to believe he's still hunting Kiara." Luke nodded thoughtfully, and stroked his beard.

"Well, I think we'll set a rendezvous then. Meet me at these coordinates, and we'll talk more."

"See you soon." Quian punched in more coordinates, altering their course to match the rendezvous. He glanced at Kiara, smiling at her wide eyes.

"That was Luke Skywalker?"

"Yes. What you expected, or no?"

"I...don't really know. The actor that played him looked similar enough, but...I don't know."

"Fair enough." They stayed silent for the remainder of the trip. They came out of hyperspace close to a blockade runner, and Quian raised an eyebrow. A moment later, he understood. Leia was visiting. Given how much Kiara admired her, and the fact that most of what was depicted in the movies about the Alderaanian princess was true, Kiara would probably have fun. He docked with the blockade runner, and glanced at Kiara.

"Ready?"

"Should I bring everything with me?"

"If you feel more comfortable doing so." Kiara hesitated a moment, then nodded. She followed just a step behind Quian as he boarded the other ship. Waiting for them, were both of the Skywalker twins.

"Master Luke. Leia. It's so good to see you both." Quian told them, bowing. Leia smiled.

"It's been too long Quian. And who is with you?"

"This, is Kiara Savos."

"I can see why you wanted to meet before heading to the Temple. You feel like a beacon in the Force, Kiara." Luke said, looking at her curiously. Kiara, a bit wide eyed, bowed politely to Luke and Leia.

"It's an honor to meet both of you. Quian has been kind enough to teach me how to control the abilities I have." Luke shot Quian a glance that he couldn't read, then looked back to Kiara.

"Is that so? What sort of abilities?"

"Mainly sensing. I know who I can trust, and who I can't. I have learned to suppress my presence in the Force, and also how to sense others."

"How long have you been training?" Leia asked curiously.

"Seven months."

"That's good, for someone who didn't know they were Force Sensitive at the start. There's a few others who'd like to meet you, and Quian, that full report would be appreciated." Luke led the way to a meeting room, where a few others sat. A round of greetings ensued, before Quian gave his full report. The mention of Richard left the others concerned.

"We thought Vader and the Emperor were the last ones." Eri said worriedly.

"Though it is possible that there are others out there, who found the Dark Side on their own." Nadir countered calmly.

"Even so, this new Sith sounds controlled, powerful." Brela added.

"It will be something to keep an eye on. Now, Kiara, we have a few questions for you. To begin with, how old are you?" Luke asked.

"Fourteen, master. My birthday was two days ago." Kiara answered. The Jedi studied her.

"You have attachments, and have seen much on your homeworld." Eri sensed.

"As I have understood it, everything is connected through the Force. Because Force sensitives are in tune with the Force, it is impossible not to have attachments, since we are attached to everything. However, it is true that I have friends. I had family, before they passed away. Even if I might never see them again, that does not mean I will forget them. They are a part of me, just as a part of them."

"But you were willing to let them go." Eri pushed. Kiara simply nodded.

"I make my own choices, and so do they. I can't do everything for them, and they can't do everything for me."

"And the frequent violence on your homeworld?" Brela asked.

"I don't like the loss of life. I don't understand how people can kill someone, and not care. There are groups, who seem to even enjoy it. I...I don't wish them harm, I don't want revenge, I just...want it to stop."

"And what do you hope to accomplish out in the wider galaxy, now that you have chosen to make your life here?" Nadir asked curiously. Kiara hesitated slightly, organizing her thoughts.

"I'd like to make a difference, somehow. Even if I'm not selected for Jedi training, I'd want to be able to help others. If that takes being a pilot, or a politician, I'd learn. If it was settling down somewhere, and making my own family, I'd do that. But I am scared. I'm scared because this is a new place, unfamiliar to me. I'm scared that I wouldn't have support. I'm scared that everything I try to do, everyone I try to help, all of it won't make a difference. I'm scared that if I choose a more active role, that people will get hurt because of my choices."

"But you are still determined." Leia noticed.

"If I give into my fears, if I choose to do nothing, I am worse than even a Dark Sider." Kiara said firmly. A moment of silence passed, before Luke nodded.

"Interesting. I think we need to discuss this further. Will you wait outside please?"

"And don't wander off Kiara." Quian added. Kiara nodded.

"I won't. Thank you, very much." Outside of the meeting room, where a few chairs. Kiara took a breath, and closed her eyes, falling into meditation. The presence of the Jedi was so bright, clear, and warm. Soothing. Quian still felt the warmest, most soothing though. Yet there was something...a faint sense of foreboding. Dread, cold, danger. Familiar. Kiara's eyes snapped open with a small gasp. That presence was still there, and coming closer.

Quian listened to the others, smiling slightly at their curiosity.

"She is very calm, and openminded for one her age. Not too jaded yet, despite what she grew up with. Most impressive." Eri mused.

"She knows far more than she says. I'd say she already knows the old Jedi code, and she understands that it was too rigid. She knows that the past Jedi were not always right." Brela said.

"Just how much have you taught her Quian?" Nadir asked. Quian smiled slightly at his old master.

"The very basics, like how we start younglings. I taught her to organize her mind better, and to meditate. Plus helping her control her natural abilities. But as I said earlier, her homeworld has basic knowledge of us, though they think it is just a story. Part of that knowledge, happens to be a great deal of history and knowledge about the Jedi. Not all of it is accurate. But the codes for the Jedi, Sith, and Gray Jedi, in addition to the lightsaber forms, and meanings of the blades, those are accurate."

"How did knowledge like that end up on a backwater planet in the Unknown Regions?" Brela asked, slightly scornfully. Her eyes narrowed on Quian.

"The creator of the stories, is named George Lucas." Luke's eyes lit up in understanding, and he gave Quian a small nod.

"I don't think we have much cause for concern, since they think it's all a story. Still, I'm glad Kiara knows of the past. I think she'll find it easier to blend the old teachings, the new teachings, and her own beliefs." Eri mused.

"She does seem to understand balance quite well already. And she has determination, a willingness to face herself. That indicates quite a bit." Nadir said approvingly.

"Not to mention, her sheer presence. She is like a beacon of energy. Mostly light side, I think. But it is a good thing you taught her to suppress her presence. That sort of energy can draw many to her, before she is ready." Eri said. Luke glanced at the others, then nodded.

"I think we have reached a decision then. Kiara will be accepted for training. I think-" Luke broke off suddenly, staring at the door with everyone else. Quian straightened, that dark presence feeling somewhat familiar. Sure enough, as the door slid open, Richard stood in the hallway, eyes and lightsaber blazing. Kiara, had her back to the door. While certainly wary, she was not afraid. Richard only snarled when he saw the other Jedi, though he did back up a step when he saw Luke.

"Kiara? Are you alright?" Quian asked softly. Kiara nodded, never taking her eyes off of Richard.

"Back up further Kiara." Luke said calmly, reaching for his lightsaber. "We'll handle this." Yet before anyone could move, Richard thrust out a hand. Kiara cried out in shock as she flew forward. Richard caught her, and swung her around roughly, holding his lightsaber mere inches from her throat.

"You will do nothing. This girl is mine." he spat. Luke paused. Now, this situation needed a different approach. Richard retreated down the hallway, and the Jedi slowly followed. Not getting too close, but keeping the Sith and Kiara in sight. At a corner, Luke signaled for Nadir, Eri, and Leia to go down another hallway. He, Quian, and Brela continued after Richard.

Kiara took a careful breath. This was dangerous, but she refused to be helpless. Currently, the self defense moves wouldn't work, not when the lightsaber was so close to her neck. A careful glance up, to see Richard slightly distracted. No doubt trying to keep track of the Jedi, and he kept glancing behind him. Considering the wall struts came out, craving gracefully along the floor, and the curving hallways, he had to be careful not to trip. She could use that. The problem still being the lightsaber. Kiara took a breath, clearing her mind. Even in a Sith lightsaber, the crystal should be attuned to the Force. Sure enough, she could sense anger, fear, and despair coming from the crystal. She had never tried to reach out to another being in the Force before, but now, she did so. The crystal resisted, jabbing out in anger at her mind. It hurt, but she tried again.

 _Please. I don't want to force you to do anything._ The crystal's anger receded somewhat.

 _All I want to do, is get out of a dangerous situation. Would you be willing to rest? Even only for a few moments?_ Kiara saw a flash of images, small crystal growing in a cave, then being selected by a child. Growing with the child, as the child turned into an adult. Then, a sense of loss, as the adult was killed. The crystal being corrupted, tortured, finally bleeding red.

 _Let me help._ Kiara asked quietly. The crystal agreed. Kiara waited until Richard was navigating a tighter curve, then she pushed at the blade with her mind. The crystal offered no resistance, even helping recall the energy. Within moments, the lightsaber deactivated. Kiara moved immediately, stomping the heel of her foot down onto the arch of Richard's, hard. He let out a cry of pain, and glanced down, only to get Kiara's sharp elbow in his face. A crunch of bone, and he reeled back. Kiara darted out of his way with ease, retreating to where Quian, Luke, and Brela were standing. Quian, proud, Luke, impressed, and Brela, unadulterated shock. The other Jedi came around the corner Richard had been rounding, and stopped, surprised. Luke signaled Nadir over, and Nadir indicated for Kiara to follow him. Kiara glanced at Quian, who nodded.

"Mask your presence as we go." Nadir instructed quietly. Kiara did as she was told, and realized Nadir was heading to Quian's ship. They boarded, and Nadir made preparations to detach.

"Quian won't mind you borrowing his ship?"

"No, he won't. My old Padawan and I found this ship together and repaired it when he was just a boy. But, seeing as how he likes exploring, I gave it to him when he became a Knight." Nadir punched in coordinates, and the ship jumped to hyperspace. Afterwards, Nadir turned to Kiara. He studied her, and Kiara found herself looking into his calm dark eyes. He was the same species as Kit Fisto, which, at the moment, she couldn't remember the name to.

"Tell me, Kiara. How did you get away exactly?"

"I...talked with the crystal in the lightsaber. They had been stolen from their original bonded person, corrupted by Richard. The crystal was tired, so...I asked to help them. They let me, and together we deactivated the lightsaber. Quian was the one to teach me those hand to hand combat moves though." Nadir studied her, his gaze growing more focused.

"You connected with the crystal? Quian didn't fully mention what your natural abilities were, except that you knew who you could trust."

"I've learned to sense intentions more consistently, and I can sense others within the Force. This was the first time I tried to reach out to another being." Kiara hesitated. "I... still don't understand too much. Am...I in trouble, in some way?"

"No, not at all. What you have to understand, Kiara, is that what you managed to do, is typically very advanced. Most younglings and Padawans have to train for a long time, in order to connect with the crystal that is meant for them. That's why making a lightsaber is such a big trial. You managed to connect with a crystal, that I suspect was not meant for you, and were able to deactivate a lightsaber with only the Force. While it was being held by someone hostile to you. Very few people can do that."

"If I may ask master, why is that? I know my method was a bit unusual, but I chose it because I haven't learned any telekinesis. I would think that those who are skilled with telekinesis could use the Force to move the switch to deactivate the lightsaber. It might take a long time to perfect the skill, but I think it would be possible." Nadir stared at her, then began to smile.

"And yet, I don't think anyone has thought of using that as a combat option. Niman, of course, uses the Force the most in combat, but that's mostly just pushing or pulling at your opponent. I think you will turn out to be a very interesting Jedi, Kiara Savos."

"I was accepted?" Kiara gasped. Nadir nodded, still smiling.

"You were. I think Master Luke had a master in mind to teach you, but after this, he might reconsider."

"Why is that?"

"I'm sure you've been told this, but you feel like a beacon in the Force. Your presence, especially for your age and amount of training, is incredibly strong. Add that in with your natural abilities, and your background and outside perspective, I think you're going to make a lot of people think." For the rest of the journey, they sat in silence. Kiara pulled out one of her sketchbooks, roughly sketching the images the crystal had shown her. It seemed...right. When the ship left hyperspace however, she put her things away. Before them, sat a green and blue glowing planet. Two moons orbited it. 

"Welcome to Tython. It houses one of the oldest Jedi Temples we've found, and the planet and moons themselves are strong in the Force."

"Is this the only Temple you use?"

"It is, for now at least. Our numbers are still small. There's only a few dozen students, roughly the same amount of Knights, and fewer than a dozen Masters. The others, once they finish up with the Sith, will meet us here. I'll help get you settled in the meantime." Nadir landed the ship, and Kiara followed him outside, breathing in the cool air. Nadir led her to the section of the Temple where the younglings and Padawans had their rooms, finding an empty room for her. Then, he gave her a tour, and she got to meet many of the students already there. 

"Where are you from? Your clothes look strange!"

"Are you fully human?

"How much do you know about the Force?"

"Can you spar yet?

"Ooh, what about piloting?"

"I see you've met the others, Kiara." Quian's familiar voice, full of amusement made Kiara turn. Luke was there as well, speaking quietly with Nadir. Quian turned back to the other students, who had thankfully paused in their questions.

"I know you're all curious, but it is just Kiara's first day. You all went through something similar. Be a little more patient, please."

"Sorry!"

"Kiara, a moment?" Luke asked. Kiara stepped over to him, and he smiled.

"You did well. We have the Sith in custody. You won't have to worry about being hunted by him anymore." 

"What about the crystal in his lightsaber? There was so much pain, and anger. Can you heal them?" she asked. Luke glanced at her curiously, but then nodded. 

"We can try. Now, from what we have seen, and from what Quian has told us, you've already mastered the basics of knowledge a youngling is required to know. You'll need to learn combat, and more Force techniques, but we've agreed that you would learn better as a Padawan. Your master, will be Quian."

"Master Luke, I've never had a student before." Quian said, a little nervously. Luke only smiled.

"You've already been teaching her for months Quian. I think it would do you good to formally take her on as your apprentice." Quian took a breath then, and smiled at Kiara. Kiara smiled back.

"Thank you, master." 

"Take the rest of the day to settle in Kiara. Your training begins, tomorrow." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the lack of posts lately, on any of my stories. College midterms are absolutely brutal, and I've been swamped by homework. They'll be ending soon, so hopefully I can post a little more frequently.


	5. Chapter 5

Kiara took a large breath. A couple of the Padawans around her grinned. 

"Come on, it's not that scary! You've been in sims before!" Jayden told her. His bike, like the others, were already humming. 

"Besides, Master Diejio has you training in his ship all the time! A speeder bike should be no problem." Von added. Kiara didn't reply. She took another breath, then flipped the controls. The bike came alive beneath her, humming, eager. The others took off ahead her, except for one. 

"If you're not ready, you don't have to go." Naaka told her gently. Kiara glanced at her friend. Naaka's dark blue and white montrals moved slightly in the strong wind. Her typical kind smile on her lavender face. 

"Master Quian actually encouraged me to try the speeder bikes. I'd rather do it with friends, than with strangers." Kiara admitted. 

"Then we'll go a bit more slowly until you're used to the bikes. Ready?" Kiara nodded, took one last breath, and twisted the handle cautiously. The speeder shot forward, but not too fast. Barely a minute later, Kiara increased the speed, and was soon shouting in excitement. The wind on her face, blowing her hair out behind her, the exhilaration of the speed, Naaka laughing at her reaction. It didn't take too much longer to catch up with the others. 

"You finally caught up!" Jayden cheered. He suddenly spat his Padawan braid out of his mouth as it whipped around. The sandy braid flipped back behind him, and he grinned. 

"We'd started to think you'd gotten lost." Waj'vi added. Her blue lekku streamed back in the wind, similar to Kiara's hair. 

"Or wasn't ever going to come." Von teased. 

"Lay off Von! The first time you were on a speeder bike, you crashed." Naaka told him. The green skinned Mirialan boy flushed.

"Hey!" The others laughed, and after a minute, Von joined in. Kiara smiled. She loved it on Tython. She was finally learning alongside people who caught on to subjects quickly. Not much time was wasted on a single topic. As soon as their masters knew they understood something, they moved on. The massive library, was wonderful for reading, or viewing the holograms and holocrons. Not to mention, she got to learn directly from ancient artifacts. Her knowledge had vastly expanded and improved as a result. Combat classes had been fun, if difficult. Still, Quian had supplemented Kiara's lessons so that she was able to catch up with her classmates without too much trouble. 

"You caught on quickly enough. Told you there wasn't anything to be afraid of." Jayden said, when they dismounted back at the Temple.

"You were right. It just took me a bit." Kiara admitted calmly.

"You'll definitely come when we go again, right?" Waj'vi asked. Kiara nodded, and smiled. A slight nudge in her mind, and she waved goodbye to her friends. Quian stood patiently on the balcony overlooking the field.

"I'm glad you tried the bikes. How did you like them?"

"It took me a bit. I was nervous, so I took it slow." 

"That's a good way to start. Tell me, how did you get over your nervousness?"

"I took several breaths, and just tried to clam myself. It...didn't really work very well, but in the back of my head, I knew there was nothing to fear, so...I just ended up doing it."

"Not a bad solution. But I think there's a way to make it more effective. Come on." Quian led the way up the steep mountain path to one of Kiara's favorite places on Tython. The waterfall thundered down, just next to the path. A fine spray filled the air, and the sun streamed down, while trees provided shade. Kiara took a deep breath, and smiled.

"You like this place." Quian already knew this, but he hadn't asked why before. 

"It's peaceful. The entire planet is peaceful, but this place...I feel calm here. It's a place where it's easier for me to meditate, or practice." Kiara explained, listening to the water. 

"So you're also more focused here." 

"Yes." Kiara gave her master a bit of a confused look. 

"When in combat, being able to regain your calm and focus is a necessary skill. Actually, any situation, where it is easy to lose control, or have negative emotions, being able to find your calm again is key."

"If I had been able to do that today..."

"I think you would have found it a bit easier to pilot the speeder. Don't get me wrong. Being calm while doing something, and being reckless are not the same things. I don't want you to get reckless, to blindly go into situations."

"I...don't think that's really in my personality." Quian chuckled. 

"You are less prone to recklessness than others. But giving you a warning is fair. In any case, you need to learn to trust yourself, to trust the Force. A Jedi's center of calm is their gateway to the Force. Lose that center, and you disadvantage yourself, severely." 

"It almost sounds like moving meditation." 

"In a way. But you cannot let yourself fall so deeply into the Force, that you lose sight of what is right in front of you." 

"Oh." 

"So, let's practice here. Remember this place, what you feel here. Take a few minutes to simply let this place fill your mind. This, can be what be what you think of, when you need to find your inner calm." Kiara did as she was instructed, memorizing every detail of the ground, the waterfall, the trees, and what she could sense through the Force. When she was ready, she nodded. Quian indicated the slick rocks going down to the bottom of the waterfall. 

"We'll start with those rocks. With the Force, and your center, you should be able to climb down fairly easily." Kiara eyed the rocks. The spray made the rocks very, very, slick. Add in the wind, and it made it even more tricky. She took a breath, and closed her eyes. Feeling for the calm, she felt the area around her. The water, cooling the air, watering the grass, trees, and other plants around. The sun, shining, counteracting the cool air. The wind, stirring everything around, carrying nutrients from the plants to other areas. All alive with the Force. Kiara took a breath, and jumped. Landing lightly on the nearest rock, she barely paused, before jumping to the next one. Then the next, and the next. When she landed again, her foot slipped slightly, and she lost her focus and calm. That caused her to slip further, and she desperately tried to regain her balance even as she was falling. She was still up too far to land safely. Just before she plummeted, she felt herself caught, held aloft. Kiara felt the calm presence that she always felt when Quian used the Force around her. She carefully held still, until Quian had her on solid ground. 

"That was a very good attempt. You made it down almost halfway before losing focus."

"I still lost focus."

"Kiara, this takes time. I would have been shocked if you had gotten it on the first try. We'll work on this." Quian said patiently. And so they did, throughout the afternoon. Kiara got further and further down each time, and there were a few times that Quian didn't need to catch her, that she regained her balance, in time. On her last attempt, she didn't regain her balance, but she was also far enough down that it was safe for her to fall. She landed with a giant splash into the deep pool under the waterfall. The current wasn't too strong so close to the waterfall, and she kicked to the surface, gasping for breath when she broke through. Quian, stood at the bank, smiling. 

"That was the farthest yet. Well done." 

"I think I'm done for today though." Kiara gasped, pulling herself out of the water and onto the bank. The water was cold! And now, she was realizing just how tired she was. Quian chuckled, and pulled off his outer robe, putting it around her.

"Considering that you're soaked, exhausted, and that you made considerable progress for just a few hours, I would agree. We'll continue working on this aspect of the lesson, but remember, you can practice finding you inner calm and focus anytime. Practice during combat classes, and the next time you try something you're not sure about."

"I will." 

"Good." Together, they walked back to the Temple. Kiara changed gratefully into dry clothes before collapsing on her bed. She checked her messages from her friends. An invitation, from the other Padawans to go on the speeder bikes again. And messages from her friends back on Earth. Smiling, Kiara replied to all of her messages, then gratefully took a nap. 

Quian watched proudly as Kiara lightly leapt from rock to rock, her balance sure despite their slipperiness. She leapt off a final rock, and landed on the bank of the river. He could hear her elated laugh even from up on the mountain path. 

"Very good! Now do it again, coming back up!" Kiara did so, though she did have a few slips. When she landed back on the path, she sat. 

"I got used to moving one way. Coming back up threw me off." she admitted. 

"I figured as much. Still, it wasn't enough that I had to interfere. You're gaining confidence." 

"But not overconfidence?" 

"No. You're still thinking, still following your instincts. But you have more confidence in yourself. You're learning to trust the Force. Which is why, I think it's time for another test." Quian tapped a few keys on his vambrace. A seeker droid activated, and hovered before them. 

"I want to see how well you're learning to reach for your inner calm and focus during combat. The droid has the usual settings." Before he finished speaking, he tapped more keys, and the droid shot out a stunner. Kiara rolled to the side, then neatly flipped to her feet, before twisting somewhat desperately to avoid another stunner. She continued to duck and weave, not reaching for her training lightsaber yet. Quian had noticed that she was not one to go for a weapon right away. 

Despite what other masters had said, when they watched the Padawans sparring, he approved. Jedi were only supposed to be warriors when they actually needed to be. Their primary purpose was to be peacekeepers. That purpose, didn't always need a lightsaber. Sometimes, it actually escalated a situation. Kiara finally activated her training lightsaber, the blue blade glowing cheerfully. Smoothly, she deflected the stunners then directed another back at the droid. The droid shuddered, then dropped to the ground. Quian nodded to himself. His Padawan's technique had been sound. She favored Form III, Soresu. She still needed a lot of time and practice to reach the skill level of a Knight, but she was improving.

"Now, how did you feel during that time?"

"Calm and in control, and focused. Well, not at first. I wasn't expecting you to have the seeker move right away. But I could still feel the Force, I could still focus enough to avoid the seeker. Once I got to my feet, I felt better."

"Good. Always expect opponents to try unexpected things. That way, you won't be surprised. Use the Force to add to your observations. I'm glad you held onto your focus. Now, we just need to work on improving it, and your inner calm." Kiara twitched a bit, and Quian frowned. 

"I am working on it." Kiara said softly. Quian sighed, and sat. Oh, he deserved this, he really did. His master had warned him, and now...Quian mentally sighed, then patted the ground next to him. Kiara sat cautiously. 

"I know Kiara. I'm sorry if it seems like I'm pushing too hard. Please, speak up if you do feel that way. I'm learning, as much as you are." Kiara stayed silent for a while. 

"I don't really know. I know you have high standards. I know you want me to be the best I can be. I want to do my best. But...it is a lot. I'm still adjusting. I don't mind the hard work, the training. But I don't know if I can be perfect with a concept. I don't think my emotions get out of control, so I guess I don't understand why you're pushing me with this. And I know how to focus. I...don't want to get paranoid. Or rely on the Force too much? I don't want the Force doing everything for me."

"Let's see...which to address first. I think another apology is in order. You learn so quickly, and you've made good friends. Sometimes, I forget that you came from a planet that doesn't have the technology standards we do. That as much as you read about the Jedi, there's still many, many things you don't know. Again, if I push too hard, or you need a minute, let me know." Kiara nodded. Quian continued. "Sometimes, I think we fall a little too far back into the past. The old Jedi Order was a bit obsessed with not letting emotions get in the way, to the point of repressing them. I guess...I guess I'd rather put you through emotional training now, and talk things out, then having a mission go bad and, well, to put it in an Earth phrase, having all hell breaking loose." Kiara smiled, and even laughed a bit.

"I think I understand. And I know I can be distracted, because I just think of things."

"Or overthink things. Which is why I've been pushing on the focus part. As for not wanting to rely on the Force, I think that's a very good instinct. Too many Jedi rely on it entirely. But at least let it be part of you, so that you don't struggle using it."

"Ok. But...can we at least take a break for today? Discuss something else?" 

"One of our walk and talks?" Kiara's eyes lit up, and she smiled.

"That would be awesome." 

"Let's go then. Tell me what you've learned about the history of Tython." Kiara smiled again. The history of the Jedi was so tightly interwoven with Tython's history, that they'd end up discussing both. Walking and talking for the rest of the afternoon, they returned to the Temple around evening. Quian said goodbye to Kiara, then went looking for his old master. He found the Nautolan Jedi Master in the library, a place he often found his apprentice. 

"Quian! How goes your training?" Nadir greeted him enthusiastically. Quian sank into a chair next to him. 

"You were right." Nadir studied him, with an amused look on his face. Quian held back a groan. That was his master's 'I told you so' face, one he had seen far too often as a younger Padawan. 

"In which way?" 

"That I needed to be mindful of myself, and the ideals of the old Jedi. I've been pushing those ideals onto Kiara a bit too much lately."

"A bit?" Quian only sighed, and Nadir chuckled. "It is a delicate balance we tread, between learning from the past, yet forging our own future. And it is also difficult, when you are brought up in the Jedi Order, to train someone who has not been. Kiara is highly individualistic, and to her, her right to be her own person, is one of the things she cherishes most. From what you have told me of Earth, that is a trait common to all their cultures. Kiara is not made to be another cog in a machine. Do not force her to be what she is not."

"Yet there are still important things to teach her." Quian protested. 

"Then teach her in your own way, not the way that you think you should be doing. She learns well by discussing and asking questions. By examples. She is excellent at sensing through the Force. If you demonstrate a technique, then she will understand after some work." Nadir studied him, then shook his head. "Quian, be patient with yourself. Kiara is your first apprentice. Stop setting such high standards for yourself, and ease up a little on Kiara."

"I did do that partially this afternoon. I was pushing, and she let me know. We talked about it, then...took a break." 

"That sounds like the best option you could have chosen. Let her take tomorrow off as well. The training event is coming up shortly. Prepare her for that, subtly. Let her show you what she has learned. In turn, that will show you how much you have learned."

"That I understand a concept well enough to pass it on to someone else."

"Correct." Quian let out a long sigh, and sat besides Nadir in silence for a while. 

"Master, do you have some time? Or will you be training your new Padawan this evening?" he asked finally. 

"No, I gave him the evening off. Would you like to spend some time with your old master, my old apprentice?" Nadir asked evenly. 

"I would." 

"I think then, that I might have something that might interest you." Quian followed his old master to a holocron, that opened to show old star maps. Quian spent the rest of the evening, and a good portion of the night looking and discussing the maps with Nadir. It was a peaceful way to spend the evening, and something Quian had denied himself for far too long. He went to bed late that night, after leaving Kiara a message. Nadir was right. He really did need to loosen up. Maybe it would be easier after the training event.


	6. Chapter 6

"Kiara! Over here!" Kiara heard Jayden's voice, but where it was actually coming from was another matter. She stood on her toes, and finally spotted a waving arm. Smiling, she made her way over to the blond haired boy, and he grinned.

"Hi Jayden. Are we going to start soon?"

"Yes! We're just waiting for the masters, so that we know our task. They're taking forever though!" Kiara smiled again, then turned as she sensed Luke coming out onto the front steps. The other Padawans quieted down. 

"Alright, so this year's task is to get a flag from the other team. Each team will have a base, where their flag is. You will need defend your flag. Only a light tap of your lightsabers will disqualify an opponent. We don't want any injuries! The team who manages to take a flag must get back to the Temple steps without getting disqualified, by sunset. The two team colors are green, and silver. The master who takes you to the starting coordinates will have armbands for you. Use the Force to help you to the best of your abilities. Go now, and may the Force be with you!" Luke explained.

A couple of the masters started calling out names, and the Padawans waited impatiently. Kiara listened for her friends' names, and for her own. She started to her team's speeder, and met up with Jayden and Naaka, who had also been placed on the silver team. Von and Waj'vi were on the other team. She only knew the other Padawans on her team by sight, and wasn't sure of their abilities. There were ten people on each team. This would be interesting. As soon as everyone was on board, the master piloting took off. 

"Can we move our flag?" 

"Yes, but not too far, and no more than two people can guard it." The master dropped them off near the waterfall cave system. The team gathered around their flag, which was just outside the entrance. 

"Maybe we could move it into the cave?" 

"No. That entrance leads to a system of caves, which have more than one entrance. It can be tricky to get around, there's lots of blind corners and dead ends." Kiara said. Jayden and Naaka glanced at her, while the others studied her thoughtfully. 

"Huh. You know your way around then?" An older Zabarak boy asked. 

"I do." 

"That could be useful. Think we could do some scouting on the other team, if you guide us around?" 

"I wouldn't mind." Kiara agreed.

"The masters wouldn't have put the two bases too far apart. Not when we don't have speeders." Jayden mused. 

"Then, scouting it is. Say, three in the caves, three looking in the forest nearby, two on the flag, and the last two watching the path?" the Zabarak boy asked. 

"That makes sense. Oh, what about a warning system? Give a whistle if you see the flag being taken?" Naaka suggested. 

"Ooh! And we could have the two guarding the flag kinda hidden in the trees, so anyone who comes might get overconfident!" A young human boy said. 

"That's all good. A half hour for scouting, then meet back here." A pause, and they all grinned at each other. The Zabarak boy raised an eyebrow, then clapped. 

"Ok, let's go." 

"Jayden, Naaka, with me please?" Kiara asked. Jayden was the best at lightsaber combat between them, and Naaka was skilled overall in the Force. Between them, they'd be able to handle almost anything they might find in the caves. Her friends grinned, and came with her. 

"Do your best to stay quiet, and watch where you put your feet. Noise echoes like crazy inside." 

"Got it. Lead the way Kiara." Naaka agreed. Kiara led the way confidently, sticking to the sides. No sense in walking straight down the middle if there was someone else inside. They reached an intersection, and Kiara paused. After a moment, she got her bearings, and headed down a tunnel that would be a dead end. She had no idea if the other team would have their base in the caves themselves, but Jayden did have a good point earlier. It couldn't have been too far away. No one was in the tunnel she checked, and no flag, so they doubled back to the intersection. Jayden eyed the intersection, and shook his head.

"Good thing you know your way around. I'm having trouble keeping track." Jayden muttered. Kiara smiled, then felt something, or someone approaching.

"Hide!" she hissed. She, Jayden, and Naaka dived behind an outcropping of rock, just in time. Two Padawans, Von, and a human boy, came into view. 

"Great. Now which way?" Von grumbled. 

"I don't know! Maybe straight?" 

"Ugh. Does anyone actually know their way through these caves?" 

"I have no idea." 

"Let's just try that one." Von decided, pointing to the dead end that Kiara and her group had just come from. The boys headed down the tunnel, not even noticing the hidden Padawans barely ten feet from them. 

"You think?" Naaka whispered.

"Probably. There is an exit that way. Come on." Kiara started to move, but Naaka grabbed her arm. 

"Hang on. What if they come back this way? Do you really want them to get to our flag?"

"I'll stay. I'm sure I can defeat both of them in combat, especially from an ambush. You two can get a look at their base." 

"Ok. Just be careful." Kiara told him. Jayden grinned, and stayed put as the girls crept forward. Kiara slowed when she could see light, and she and Naaka carefully looked around the wall. Most of the other team stood a little ways away from the cave. Even further down the path, two Padawans stood guard over their flag. The flag had been moved to inside the tree line, but the bright green could still be easily seen. 

"Alright, alright! We don't know where they are, so we'll hide along the path to the Temple. They can't get our flag if there's no members to compete. Let's move." Naaka and Kiara exchanged a look, before Kiara led the way back to the intersection. Jayden stood waiting for them, grinning, and a little scuffed up. 

"Von and the other Padawan came through. I got both of them, but had a couple of close calls. Managed to point the way out, towards our base. And, it's nearly half an hour. Find anything?"

"We found their base, and heard their plan. Come on." Back at their own base, Naaka and Kiara explained what they had heard. 

"That'll be tricky if they're all waiting along the path." the Zabarak boy mused.

"No, not so much." Naaka disagreed. 

"We'll only have to worry about six of them on the path. They're keeping two people guarding their flag, and Jayden already managed to disqualify two." Kiara added.

"That's good to hear. So...anyone got any ideas?" 

"They did have a point of just taking everyone out. We could do that." 

"Ok, but the objective is not to take people out, it's to get the flag." 

"Right. Right, yeah. Ok."

"So...We distract them. We launch an attack on their base, draw the guards away into the caves. While that's going on, someone else gets the flag, and runs to the Temple. And the rest of us, not counting the flag guards, take out their people." Jayden suggested. The others glanced at each other, then nodded.

"That would work." the Zabarak boy agreed.

"I know a shortcut to the Temple." Kiara offered. "Once you exit the cave, you can go straight down the mountainside, instead of going along the path. It's not easy, but it would get you there faster. And that way, you can probably avoid the others along the path." 

"That would work. Can you help us get our bearing in the cave then?" 

"Sure. I can mark which tunnels you need, or, I lead you into the caves and point out which path you need to take." 

"Second option. And, since you know your way so well, can you distract the guards?" 

"I can." 

"I'll go with you." Jayden offered. The Zabarak boy checked if the current flag guards would stay, and they agreed. Naaka agreed to be part of the group who would grab the flag, and the rest, would take care of the Padawans on the path. If Kiara and Jayden weren't disqualified, they would join those fighting. Kiara led everyone into the caves, and then to the correct exit. While the others hid, she and Jayden headed forward. 

"Oi! You might need some work on your sensing!" Jayden called cheerfully to the two guards, when he and Kiara were only a few feet away. The guards jumped, then headed for them. Jayden and Kiara darted back into the caves, then started down a dead end tunnel. Kiara smiled as she felt the others moving into position. It didn't take too long to disqualify the guards, and then they checked on their own teammates. 

Most of the Padawans were locked in combat, with blue and green training sabers flashing. Kiara smiled, and joined in, tag teaming with Jayden. With her leaning towards Soresu, and Jayden leaning towards Djem So, they complimented each other nicely. Kiara could follow through on gaps Jayden created, while covering his back. He also went on the offense if she needed a breather. Soon, their team had defeated the other team, though some of them had been disqualified. A shout, further down the path, had them running to see what happened. Naaka and her partner had crossed the river, but were being chased by the last Padawan from the other team. It turned into a race, and Naaka and her partner made it to the steps, before the human girl tripped and fell. Luke, and the other masters were laughing. 

"It seems the silver team has won the game. Well done to all. You can all have the rest of the day off." Kiara waved at Jayden and Naaka, before heading over to Quian. 

"You did very well." Quian told her, smiling. 

"How were you watching?" Kiara asked curiously. 

"There were monitoring devices in the armbands. But our bond has deepened. I was able to see glimpses. You used the caves, I think?" 

"We did. I knew my way around, so I was able to guide the others, and confuse those on the other team." 

"Very well done. You used your surroundings to your advantage, and applied what you learned. I'm proud of you." 

"Thank you, master." Kiara told him, bowing slightly. Quian bowed back.

"My pleasure, Padawan. I'd like to fully discuss your tactics, if you aren't too tired. We'll keep it to the Temple." Kiara smiled, and followed her master. At dinner, she compared notes with everyone else. 

"Von was really surprised when I jumped out!" Jayden said cheerfully. Von lightly smacked the human boy on the back of the head. 

"I wasn't expecting an ambush! That was really, really good though. You've gotten a lot better with your dueling Jayden. I'm going to work on my sensing. I should have been able to sense you." 

"How did you know your way around so well Kiara? You were spot on about making it down the mountain, and the cave." Naaka asked. Kiara shrugged. 

"I like exploring. Master Quian doesn't mind, when I have the free time." 

"Well, I'm grateful. It helped us out loads." 

"Though it was funny to see you practically do flips down the mountain Naaka." Waj'vi teased. Naaka blushed. 

"It was a way to keep balance! I definitely need to work on that." 

"Well I'm going to work on my dueling. I don't like that I was defeated so easily." the Twi'lek girl grumbled.

"But we really are supposed to negotiate first!" Naaka countered. Waj'vi shrugged.

"And then there's aggressive negotiations. Of course, I'd like to negotiate, but I want the skills to fall back on if I have to fight." 

"Fair enough. What about you Kiara?" Von asked. Kiara thought for a moment, then shrugged.

"I'm still pretty new. I need to work on a lot of things."

"Huh. That's fair." Kiara finally waved goodbye to the others, then headed to her room, to meditate. She had enjoyed the exercise, and she knew what she wanted to improve on. After an hour or so of meditation, she had a few ideas on how to improve too. She'd just have to discuss it with her master. Just as she was about to end her meditation, a flicker of greed flitted through her conscious. She frowned, and tried to get a better sense of it, but nothing else came. Kiara sat in thought, then rose. She had felt that feeling often enough on Earth, which never ended well. She couldn't leave this alone. Moving quietly through the hall, she went to Quian's room. He wasn't there, so Kiara took a breath. Searching through their bond, she found him in the library. Heading upstairs, she hesitated when she saw Quian with Master Nadir. If they were doing something, she didn't want to interrupt. She turned to go, but then paused when she heard Nadir's voice.

"Kiara?" Both masters were looking at her curiously, and Kiara hesitated by the door. 

"I...I don't want to interrupt if you're busy." 

"I'm not too busy for my Padawan. And you're technically Master Nadir's grand Padawan." Nadir sighed. 

"Quian. That makes me sound old. Please don't do that." Quian smirked slightly. 

"Sorry master." 

"In any case, Kiara, if you need to talk, you're more than welcome to." Nadir told her, gesturing her to a seat. Kiara took the chair across from the masters. 

"Thank you. I was meditating, master, I think I have a few training ideas. But then, I felt...greed. Very, very faint. But clear. Except, I don't know where it came from. Also, please don't tell me it's nothing. I know what I felt, even if I don't know why. And...I saw the effects of greed often enough on my homeworld. It was never good." Nadir closed his eyes for a few minutes while Quian studied her. His expression was unreadable. 

"Hmm. Your sensitivity to the Force seems to be growing. And it is your part of your natural abilities to sense emotions and intent. I don't think those have faded in your time here. I'd say they've grown." Nadir said finally. Kiara stayed silent. What precisely that had to do with this, she wasn't sure. 

"Could it be one of the other students? Just a passing emotion they felt?" 

"Maybe. But still, being on planet, I would have thought it would have been clearer." Kiara said quietly. 

"So you think it's from someone out in the galaxy?" Quian pressed. Kiara looked down. 

"Maybe. But, I would think that if it is off planet, then it would have been someone who's Force-sensitive?"

"That would make the most sense. You were meditating, so you were connected more deeply to the Force. And while you're good at sensing, I don't know if you can sense non Force-sensitives quite yet. Especially those off planet."

"So now what?" Kiara asked. It did seem that both masters believed her, which was a relief. But still...

"Meditate. But try not to worry in the meantime. We'll look into it." Nadir promised.

"Thank you, for listening, and believing in me." 

"Kiara, you're sincere in what you do, and say. It's the least I can do as your master to listen." 

"Thank you. Goodnight then." 

"Do you want company?" Kiara hesitated. She did feel just a bit lonely...

"I...yes please." Quian smiled, and walked with her back to her room. Outside of her door, Quian stopped.

"We will take a look. I promise. Master Nadir is incredibly tuned to the Force." 

"I still worry. It...reminded me of the time when you first sensed Richard."

"You think someone's hunting you again?" Quian asked, concerned. Kiara shook her head. 

"I don't know. I don't think so. I...I'm just going on my instincts right now. Something's not right." 

"Alright. Be patient, Kiara. I'll want to hear those training ideas tomorrow, alright?" 

"Alright. Goodnight master." Kiara accepted an embrace from her master, then went to bed. She didn't fall asleep for some time.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lots of trials, and disaster. Which, all things considered, sort of makes sense.

"Kiara!" Quian called. He stood at the edge of the woods, knowing Kiara was close. 

"Coming master!" Quian smiled as he heard the engines coming closer, and moved to the side. The speeders Kiara and her friends preferred raced by, coming to a stop at the nearby plaza. 

"Yes! That was more like it!" Von cheered. Kiara, Jayden, and Naaka climbed off their speeders, sighing with relief. Quian raised an eyebrow. Those three had been behind Von and Waj'vi. Had something happened?

"You....you and your...ugh, I can't even think of anything." Waj'vi grumbled. Von shrugged.

"I only suggested we go faster, test our reflexes. You went through with it!"

"Hey!" 

"Padawans, please. Pushing yourself is a good thing, but not at risk to your lives. Especially if it isn't necessary." Quian told them. Von looked embarrassed. 

"Sorry Master Diejio."

"Just keep it in mind. Kiara, take care of what you need to, but make it quick. We have a meeting with the Council in five minutes." 

"Yes master!" Quian headed up to the Council chambers, and Kiara met him at the door, out of breath.

"Have fun?" 

"Always. Though sometimes the competitions Von gets into..."

"There's no harm in a friendly rivalry. It pushes everyone involved to get better." 

"I guess. I've just seen more harmful ones, than good ones."

"Fair. Come on." Quian led the way into the Council's chambers, bowing before the assembled masters. Kiara, a step behind, copied him. Luke smiled warmly. 

"Hello, Quian, Kiara. It's good to see you both." 

"How do you feel you're progressing in your studies Padawan Kiara?" Brela asked. 

"I'm learning a lot masters. And I'm improving a lot. Many things are still difficult for me, but I know that I'll get better with practice and time." 

"Your opinion Quian?" Eri asked. Quian inclined his head.

"Kiara's put in a lot of hard work. She's not catching up to what the other Padawans already know anymore. In fact, I believe she's pulled ahead in some areas." 

"Learning to be a Jedi is not a race." Brela told him and Kiara sternly. Quian hid a smile, and Kiara wasn't even fazed.

"I know. I don't think it is. I just try my best." The masters exchanged a glance, before Luke smiled again. 

"Very well then. I believe that it's time for your Gathering."

"Gathering?" Kiara asked uncertainly. 

"You, and your master will travel to Ilum. It is time for your trial for building a lightsaber." Nadir explained. Kiara smiled, and bowed. 

"Thank you, so much masters. I am honored that you think I'm ready."

"You leave tomorrow morning. Good luck, and may the Force be with you." Luke told them. The bowed, and left the chamber. 

The next morning saw both of them in the cockpit of Quian's ship with their things. As usual, they had grabbed everything they owned. It was simply habit for both of them.

"Nervous?" Quian asked, watching Kiara as she ran through pre flight checks. She nodded absently. 

"Of course. But...I think it's a good kind of nervous."

"Good. What did your friends think?" 

"They all thought it was really cool. Jayden got taken a few weeks back, and Naaka has had hers for months. Von's hoping he'll be able to earn his soon, and Waj'vi got hers last week. We're all improving." 

"That you are. This mission will test all of your skills, and I will warn you now, there is no guarantee for your success. But if you trust in yourself, and in the Force, I have no doubt you will succeed. Let's go. You pilot."

"Yes master." Kiara smoothly launched the ship, and flew it into space under Quian's approving eye. Within seconds, they entered hyperspace. Kiara meditated, as did Quian. When they exited, Kiara saw Ilum before them. Instead of the icy blue she had hoped for, the planet was dark, with angry red lines crisscrossing the surface. 

"I had hoped Ilum would have healed some by now. Just how much damage did the Empire do?" Kiara asked sorrowfully. 

"I know how you feel. Go around to the nighttime side." While much of the unlit side of the planet was still dark, there were patches of icy blue.

"There are parts of Ilum that were able to heal. We've found deep caverns that the Empire either left alone, or didn't reach. We're headed to one of those." Kiara closed her eyes, senses probing at the surface. A vibration in the Force, that slowly became a song. She could feel it in her bones, and when she opened her eyes, she knew exactly where to go. Quian said nothing as she piloted the ship down to a tiny white blue spot, which turned out to be a mountainside. She engaged the landing gear, and the ship settled onto a tiny ledge.

"I have cold weather gear in the lockers. Come on." Kiara happily accepted the boots, gloves, and parka Quian had for her, pulling up the hood before stepping outside. The wind howled around them, snow stinging on the exposed portions of skin. And the temperature! So much colder than any winter Kiara had experienced on Earth. And yet, through it all, there was a wild beauty to it. Even more importantly, Kiara could still hear the song. But where....Almost in a meditative state, she followed the song, until she reached a small opening in the rock. She slipped through it, and a protected cavern opened up in front of her. 

"You can hear it then. Good." Kiara startled at Quian's voice, and she turned to him. 

"Master? I..."

"No, don't apologize. The song you're hearing? Keep following it. I'll wait here."

"This is for me?" Kiara checked. Quian nodded. 

"It's time to test yourself. It's also a test for me. I have faith in you, Kiara." 

"Ok." Kiara took a breath, and headed deeper into the cave and Quian sat on the floor. The caves were dark, but she could still see, thanks to the small shafts of light coming through vents. The light reflected off of the ice. Deeper and deeper she ventured, but the song never grew louder. Kiara sighed, glaring at the walls. 

"I'm listening. I'm trying to follow you, but I can't tell if you're getting louder or not. Where are you?" No response. Kiara sighed again, and kept going. She heard a rumble and sharp crack, before the ceiling before her started to cave in. And the crack kept growing. Kiara ran back the way she had come, her eyes closed and her sleeve over her mouth. She felt a portion of the cave fall next her, and darted down a side passage. She finally stopped running when she couldn't hear the rumble of rocks, or cracking of ice. She opened her eyes and coughed a couple of times. 

A large cavern, glittering with ice stood before her. Kiara hesitated. Just walking around hadn't gotten her as far as she wanted. And when she had followed the song earlier, she had been meditating, or almost mediating. She had to trust her abilities through the Force, and let the Force itself guide her completely. Kiara sat in her favorite position, and after a few minutes, gritted her teeth. She wasn't seeing anything! 

But...Kiara sighed again. She needed to stop doubting the Force. She could do things on her own, yes. But her eyes had been opened to what the Force could do, and what she could do with it as her ally. She needed to stop shoving it away when she didn't want to use it, and instead, simply let it flow through her. Let it be her friend, a constant companion. She breathed in, and breathed out, breathe in, breath out. Listen to the ebb, and flow of the Force around her. Let it in, let it out. Connect. And, the song she had heard before grew louder, and clearer, until she could feel it pulsing around her, in time with the ebb and flow of the Force. She reached out, and within moments, a warm crystal had landed in her hand. Kiara opened her eyes, and smiled.

"Thank you." Now, to find her way back to her master. She didn't know how long it took, but she eventually found her master, still in the same meditative position. She sat across from him, and he opened his eyes. Wordlessly, she opened her hand, revealing the crystal. Quian smiled. 

"Well done, my Padawan. You found your kyber crystal." 

"Thank you master. Will we be heading back to the Temple?" 

"Not yet. Check your pack." Kiara withdrew a large bag as Quian did the same. Opening the bags, revealed a large selection of hilt pieces. 

"Oh. I can build it here?" 

"Take all the time you need." Kiara smiled, and laid out all the pieces in front of her. Then, she let herself fall into a deep meditation. She let the Force guide her completely, occasionally corrected on the placement of a piece by Quian. Gradually, deliberately, her lightsaber came together. At one point, Kiara opened up her hand again, letting her crystal float into the air, and into the floating pieces of the hilt. And, finally, she felt a resonating vibration, felt warmth, and a sense of completion. She had finished. Opening her eyes once again, she saw a cylindrical hilt, silver casting, with a darker gray inlay on opposite sides of the hilt. The raised metal within the inlay, silver, had a design that reminded her of snowflakes. The activation switch was barely raised above the hilt, and in the darker gray. The emitter guard curved smoothly above the rest of the hilt, creating a point not unlike an icicle. A small ring hung by the rounded end, for easy attachment to her belt. Kiara hesitated. 

"Go ahead." Quian told her quietly. Yet Kiara hesitated still, before grasping her lightsaber. She activated the switch, and a warm yellow blade sprang from the hilt, humming softly. And there was her song, stronger than ever. Kiara let out a relieved sigh, before smiling. She deactivated the blade, and stood. Quian stood with her, and put his hands on her shoulders. 

"Kiara, you've completed your Gathering. You have done so well, and I-" Quian gasped, his hands clenching on Kiara's shoulders. She didn't have time to ask what was wrong before her own world plunged into darkness. She saw Tython, at night. Darkness, greed, fear. The Temple on fire, the grounds ruined. Death. And power, overwhelming, dark power, encompassing everything. Kiara collapsed, sobbing as she felt several bright lights in the Force, Jedi that she knew, go out. As she felt the collective feel of the Jedi, disappear. Slowly, she came back to her surroundings, Quian's calming presence holding her tightly, his own breathing coming in shaky gasps. 

"I..." 

"I know. Breathe." Slowly, so slowly, they matched their breathing to the still calm ebb and flow of the Force around them. 

"W...why? How?" Kiara gasped out in between sobs. 

"I don't know." Quian murmured. "We're staying here, for a little while. But then we need to leave." 

"Where...where will we go?"

"Into hiding. Tython's not safe. Hide your signature as much as you can." Kiara nodded, and leaned against him. They sat together in the cave, listening to the Force. But it didn't show them anything else. Finally, they left. Quian punched in coordinates to an outpost he knew of, told Kiara to stay in the ship, and disappeared for a few hours. When he came back, he had clothes, food, blasters, and tech. 

"Change. We'll stand out less. Then help me upgrade the ship. We're going to make it undetectable." Kiara did as she was told, and as soon as they finished, they left again. 

For weeks, they hopped around the Outer Rim, occasionally taking quick jobs to earn credits and food. Quian still trained Kiara, but they had to be much more cautious. They heard rumors, of a Senate faction that had broken away. That they were forming a military. Quian had frowned at that. 

"I can't see Leia standing for that. She never liked the Empire remnants that were absorbed into the New Republic."

"What..whatever destroyed Tython won't go after her?" Kiara asked quietly. Quian studied her. His Padawan had become far more withdrawn and quiet since her trials on Ilum. It had been hard on both of them. Hopefully, they would be able to find some measure of peace eventually.

"No, I don't think so. Leia, apparently renounced her title as a Jedi years ago. Still uses the Force, just, isn't a Jedi. I always thought she preferred politics." 

"Maybe...maybe we could find her?" 

"That's an option. Perhaps..." Quian's head jerked up as Kiara shot up in her seat. They could both sense Force presences that were familiar. And, not far away. Quian silently powered up the ship, and left the airless moon they had rested on, before jumping to a nearby system. A battered ship sat at a refueling station, looking like it was barely holding together. Quian landed nearby, and checked the ship readouts. 

"We need refueling. I'll take care of it. Go investigate, but be careful." Kiara nodded, and cautiously made her way down the ramp. She wandered over to the other ship. It wasn't familiar, but... 

"Kiara?" She recognized the soft voice, and turned to see a familiar Togruta, and human blond-haired boy. Kiara smiled for the first time since Ilum. 

"Naaka. Jayden." Both of her fellow Padawans embraced her tightly, drinking in each others' presences.

"So good to see you. How are you even alive?" Naaka whispered.

"We were off planet. What all happened?" 

"Ben Solo turned to the Dark Side, and slaughtered almost everyone. We...we managed to escape." Jayden explained. Kiara's eyes widened. Ben Solo? The talented Padawan that everyone had heard about, even if he was rarely at the Temple? Leia and Han's son? Before she could even begin to order her thoughts, another familiar voice broke in. 

"Kiara Savos. I'm glad to see you." Kiara looked to the side to see a very, very tired Nautolan. He still had his gentle smile though.

"Master Nadir. Master Quian and I are safe." she told him. He breathed a sigh of relief. 

"I had hoped so. The Force, kept you safe."

"We've been in hiding for weeks. You?" Jayden asked. Kiara nodded. 

"Same. We got a vision of the attack..." 

"Let's talk elsewhere. We can fully catch up then." Nadir said, clasping Kiara's shoulder. "Jayden, Naaka, back to the ship please. I'll be back shortly." Kiara led the way over to Quian, as he stood negotiating fuel prices with the vendor. When he saw Nadir, relief flooded his face.

"Master, you're safe." Nadir clasped Quian's shoulder in greeting.

"Quian, I'm glad to see you and your apprentice. I know there's much we need to discuss. I have two apprentices with me. But our ship isn't in good shape." 

"We have room." Quian offered. Nadir nodded, before typing into his comm. 

"Meet us here. I'll sell the ship, and we'll rendezvous at yours." Quian nodded, and finished fueling as Kiara headed up the ramp. Several hours passed in hyperspace, before they landed on yet another Outer Rim planet. It had just enough atmosphere to make it livable, but Kiara was grateful they weren't staying. Once Quian landed, they had to wait another few hours before Nadir, Naaka, and Jayden appeared. They boarded, and came into the cockpit.

"Were we tracked?" Nadir asked. Quian shook his head, checking the ship over briefly through the Force. They'd do a more extensive search later.

"Not that I can tell."

"Good. Let's go." Once they were in hyperspace again, they finally started to compare notes.

"What exactly happened? Are you the only survivors?" Quian asked urgently. Nadir inclined his head sorrowfully. 

"I believe Luke escaped, but where, I do not know. Ben Solo turned to the Dark Side, and attacked the Temple. Almost everyone died. Some, in the fires. Others, defending those who couldn't fight. I managed to escape into the woods, injured. I found my Padawan, and Naaka hiding in the cave systems." 

"Ben Solo. But..." Quian protested. 

"I know. No one expected it. But the destruction it caused...It's only thanks to the Force that there were even a few survivors."

"We wouldn't have survived if not for the apprentice games. Kiara, you knowing your way around, saved our lives." Jayden told her. Naaka's hands clenched. 

"My master was killed. And Von, and Waj'vi are also gone." she whispered. Kiara didn't try to stop the tears as they fell, and moved to her friends' side. They leaned into each other, supporting each other. Quian closed his eyes briefly, mourning for the friends he and Kiara had lost. Yet, he was grateful that his old master had survived, and that a couple of Kiara's friends had survived. They'd be each others' anchors in the dark times to come.

"We managed to get back to the Temple after Ben left. We salvaged what we could. Since then, we've been on the run. We've heard rumors of a First Order, made up of remnants of the Empire, and others, who are gathering power. Rumors only though. Apparently, Leia resigned from the Senate as well. I wouldn't be surprised if she's gathering her own resources. She can see another war is coming." Nadir informed Quian. He frowned.

"I take it that the Senate didn't approve?" Nadir grimaced.

"Hardly. Barely thirty years after the Galatic Civil War, and yet politicians are still the same. They can't see the bigger picture, or, if they can, they don't care."

"There's some who aren't like that." 

"Very few. And most of those left with Leia." 

"Can we track her down? We could get shelter at the very least. Maybe find Master Luke." Jayden offered. Nadir nodded. 

"I was hoping. But I don't know the Outer Rim as well as you do Quian. Where do you think Leia would hide?" 

"I can think of a few." Quian drew up a star map, then meditated. After a few minutes, he pointed. "There." 

"D'Qar? It's extremely remote, away from main space lanes. Ah, yes, that would do." Nadir mused. Jayden looked at his master impatiently. 

"Let's go." Quian shook his head. 

"Not so fast. We're taking extra precautions. Kiara, run a full diagnostic. Master, can you check the exterior?" 

"Of course." 

"What's going on?" Naaka asked quietly. Quian turned to her and Jayden. It would take time to completely clear the ship.

"If Leia is there, we hardly want to lead anybody to her. And, Kiara and I have been performing this check after a few jumps, just to make sure we're not tracked. You've been keeping your presences muted in the Force?" 

"Yes." 

"Good. Keep it that way please."

"All clear." Kiara reported after several minutes. Quian nodded, waiting until Nadir came back into the cockpit.

"All clear."

"Good. Now we'll go." 

After a few hours, they arrived in front of a planet. Quian carefully piloted through asteroid belt around it, then the upper atmosphere, before honing in on a base. Several ships stood outside of ruins, transports, cargo vessels, and fighters alike. He recognized some ships that were used frequently in the Galactic Civil War. Leia had been busy. Lots of people bustled around the ships, and were going in and out of the ruins. 

"I think we found them." Jayden observed. Nadir frowned thoughtfully. 

"That's more than I expected. Find somewhere to land not too far. We don't want to scare them."

"Are we all going?" Kiara asked. Nadir and Quian exchanged a look, then Quian nodded. 

"I think so. Come on." Barely twenty minutes of walking brought them to the perimeter of the base, and a guard.

"Who are you?"

"Is this the rebellion against the First Order?" 

"That depends on your answer."

"We're refugees. We've been fleeing from the First Order for weeks, and in hiding. All we ask is for shelter. Please." Nadir requested calmly. The guard eyed them suspiciously, then shrugged. Quian knew they didn't look very dangerous, not with second hand blasters, and their lightsabers hidden.

"I'll let you in. Under escort. Don't try anything." They waited for a few minutes, before a tall, dark haired man came to meet them. He gestured for them to follow him. 

"Refugees, huh? And just how did you find us? We're not broadcasting our location."

"The Force led us here." Quian said. The man scoffed.

"Oh really? I doubt that. The First Order killed all the Jedi, or haven't you heard?" Nadir shot Kiara, Jayden and Naaka a look. None of them said anything, while Quian fished for information.

"All of them?" 

"All of them. You must have really been in hiding not to hear that. Senate wasn't happy, but 'couldn't prove that the First Order was at fault.' Stupid senators." 

"Poe, that's enough." Leia had approached them behind the young man, and he spun around. 

"General!"

"Leia. Do you remember us?" Nadir asked. Leia nodded sharply, before smiling.

"Of course I do. I'm so glad to see you, but I can't believe you're alive! I truly thought..."

"Kiara and I were off planet. Master Nadir, Jayden, and Naaka were the only survivors that we know about." 

"I know Grandmaster Luke escaped the initial attack. And I didn't feel him die, even if I can't feel him in the Force." Nadir explained. Jayden snorted as Poe's jaw dropped, realizing he had just been talking with Jedi. Kiara, was watching Leia. She saw it when the woman's face fell. 

"That's not...that's not good news. I don't know where he is either. He's gone missing." The silence stretched out as everyone processed that information. Kiara took a deep breath. Even if her friends, Master Nadir, and Quian stayed, and helped, the new rebellion could use all the help it could get. And Luke, would certainly be able to help. 

"Then we'll have to find him." she said firmly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this is the last chapter! I hope you enjoyed this short work, and thank you for reading. I may do one shots off of this, but no guarantee. Any questions, comments, requests, please post them in the comments. Happy holidays!


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